Rogers’ scoring duo puts focus on capturing inaugural SPSL crown

Tristan Coltom and Jesse Westering are enjoying another summer together, as much any longtime friends could on the basketball court.

A lifetime together, the two Rogers High soon-to-be seniors have been two of a kind, as they grew up around one another both on and off the basketball court.

“I’ve known her since forever,” Coltom said of growing up with Westering. “We played together all throughout elementary school on the same AAU team, and my dad, (Don Coltom), coached us (too).”

Coltom and Westering’s relationship began just like any other: with a meeting. But unlike other stories about friends on the court, this one was built from the gridiron.

Back in 1981, it was a beginning for a duo on the Pacific Lutheran University football team as Dan Coltom and Scott Westering’s lives first intersected. Dan was an incoming freshman on the Lute defense, while Scott was brought in to be an assistant coach to his father, Frosty.

From then a friendship was built. It’s one that has been passed down from the football field that both fathers were a part of, to now their daughters, who now share Rogers’ court together.

“Luckily in Puyallup, we’re all kind of tight. We all sort of know each other, and we know each other’s personalities,” Westering said. “Playing with her is just natural. We compliment each other out there because she knows what I want to look for, and I know how she wants to play.”

From their time in the pee-wee leagues from playing AAU on the same team, it has all led up to this summer and next season for the duo that took first team honors out of the South Division in the 4A South Puget Sound League.

It was a funny feeling for Coltom last summer after heading to Rogers and the girls basketball team as a transfer student from Cascade Christian High. With the Cougars, Coltom was a 1A Nisqually League all-league performer as a sophomore.

Moving up to 4A was going to be a major stretch, and being inserted to a team like the Rams, who had aspirations of improving on the previous year’s successes by taking an early shot at the SPSL title.

“When I came here, I was nervous about fitting in at first,” Coltom admitted.

A new school, new team and high expectations created high anxiety problems for Coltom. But in a strange way, it felt like old times for her.

“We have a blast playing together — it’s so much fun,” Westering said.

There was her lifelong friend in Westering — a player who also faced high pressures, both as the team’s star player and as the leader of a young and growing team.

“I hadn’t played with Jesse since our AAU days, so coming to Rogers, I was really excited to get the chance to play with her again,” she said. “We clicked right away. The whole team did — (the team) became really close last summer.”

That team bond led Rogers to its second consecutive playoff appearance and the third in six years under coach Amy Looker. Reaching the regional round was a major step forward for the Rams.

“For us to be playing where we left off is, if not a little more in tune (together), it’s been so much fun. I’m excited,” Westering said. “It just means we’re going to get so much better. I’m so excited for the season and the (rest) of summer league.”

Without missing a beat, the Rams are back at it again this summer as the team as picked up right where it left off in February. Rogers has displayed the offense force the team is projected to be next season.

With Coltom and Westering getting another year together, Rogers girls basketball might just claim the first league championship in the inaugural season of the new 4A SPSL.

“Usually you come out in the summer and your five steps from where you were at the end of the season,” Coltom said. “To come back right where we left is so awesome. It shows how our team wants to make it (back) to state next season.”

For the Rams, next season has only just begun.

“It’s the best way to spend summer, honestly,” Westering said.

This story was originally published June 23, 2016 at 10:22 AM with the headline "Rogers’ scoring duo puts focus on capturing inaugural SPSL crown."